Given the need for new instrumentation that enables discovery in the biological sciences, a workshop will be held in Arlington, VA in September 2008 that brings together instrument development experts and biological researchers across the disciplines to identify emerging needs. The workshop will identify areas of instrumentation development that have the highest potential for transforming biological research as well as on fostering inter-/transdisciplinary research between biologists and instrument developers. The need for such a workshop arises from exceptionally high potential instrumentation has for transforming biological research and training new generation of the workforce. Scientists representing an exceptionally broad range of biological disciplines as well as instrumentation developers will participate in one and a half days of discussions. The outcomes of the workshop include: 1) identification of the most urgent needs of the biological community for instrumentation that would transform and move the field (and its many sub-disciplines) forward; 2) Identification of the best approaches for interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists and instrument developers from recent successful biological instrumentation projects; 3) Highlighting of the most recent breakthroughs in technology and instrumentation that could potentially be applied to the field of biological research and have a transformative impact; 4) Identification of the most efficient ways and approaches for involving students in biological instrumentation development as such programs provide some of the best opportunities for training the next generation workforce; and 5) Foster the development of entrepreneurial activities that would allow for the first proof-of concept prototype to be transformed into commercial instrumentation.
